True Beauty
by Cabin3Demigod
Summary: James isn't a jerk he just doesn't like... clowns. So why does Lily feel obliged to look like one? His actions on their first official date leave him with one choice: to apologize, or to keep it moving.
1. Tears

James sat on the edge of his bed, ruffling his hair. He was nervous, worried, and excited at the same time. Only one person could make him feel so many emotions at once. Today was James' first date with Lily. It was time for the second Hogsmeade trip of the year, and James wasn't planning to just grab a butterbeer. Oh no, he was planning to flaunt Lily and...maybe even 'introduce' her to Madam Puddifoot's. She had to know her way around, didn't she?

James smiled to himself. Today was going to be a perfect day.

"Prongs!"

James looked up. Sirius was standing directly in front of him, looking more blissful than ever. Of course, he had a date with Emmeline Vance today, the most popular and beautiful girl in school. But James wasn't jealous, because Emmeline needed glamour and sparkles to look beautiful. Lily was just naturally breath-taking, and if he was the only one who could see that...well, less was better. For him, at least.

"Yes, Pads?" James said.

Sirius clapped his hands. "Today is our trip to Hogsmeade," he chanted, "And you have a date with Lily, the girl of your dreams. And I have a date with Emmeline, the...well, let's keep that censored for the kids." Sirius chuckled. "What I'm trying to say is, it's time to go!" Sirius raced out of the room and James followed him after giving Sirius a five second head start.

James' heart hammered as he sprinted down the corridor and to the big doors. It wasn't because of how fast he was going. It was because of Lily. After seven years, she'd finally accepted him. That had been what he'd wanted for the past three years. The first four years at Hogwarts, James had felt nothing but lust for Lily. Now his heart had her name encrusted in it.

James and Sirius stopped outside, huffing behind groups of younger kids and teens in their year. Sirius stretched and pointed at Emmeline. He winked and patted James on the back. James rolled his eyes. Sirius let girls control him. No, not in some soldier/warden type of way. But they controlled his life. Girls were the only things on Sirius' mind. Inside brainwash. James shook his head and felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up.

Smiling radiantly in front of him was Lily Evans. He smiled, but the smirk slowly disappeared. She had on loads of makeup and it made her look like a ringing brother. James wasn't going anywhere near her lips when they looked like that. He grinned shyly at her and took her image in. Lily wore jeans and a white, arrow encrusted t-shirt covered in beads. James nodded. "Nice," he lied. If Lily was going to be trying to impress him like this, then she might as well get used to him lying to her.

"Thank you," she said. She held out her hand. James flinched and Lily looked at him oddly. "Everything okay?" Lily asked.

James moved his head in a circular motion. "Great," he murmured, hesitantly grabbing her hand.

They walked all the way to Hogsmeade without a word said between them. Of course, Lily talked and James listened, but he didn't say anything. Talking to her would feel like cheating. He didn't know this Lily. If he had to make her hate him again just so she could look like herself, he was willing to take the risk. But not right now. Not when everything was blissful. Right then, ignorance was bliss in Lily's world.

They arrived in the center of Hogsmeade and Lily looked up at James. He spun around just to avoid her face. James pushed his glasses down. "Just um...dropped my glasses," he said, picking up his glasses. He placed them on his face and Lily puckered her lips.

"Let me fix that," she said, leaning in.

James squinted and jumped back. "Ah, look, Hog's Head!" He exclaimed, heading that way.

Lily held onto his arm. Looking back at her, James saw that she was confused and partially hurt. He sighed.

"I was thinking Madam Puddifoot's," Lily grinned.

"A-ah Uh..." James muttered as she pulled him into the diner.

Madam Puddifoot greeted them with a warm smile and a hasty wink. James grinned falsely and allowed Lily to drag him to the first table she spotted.

James stared at the ceiling. Everything was pink. So pink and...disgusting. Couples were snogging everywhere. James didn't want himself and Lily to be a disgusting couple. He wanted them to be at least bearable.

Lily touched his hand and Janes forced himself to smile at her. Lily leaned closer and puckered her lips...

"Coffee, please!" James shouted at Puddifoot. The old woman came bounding over in a nervous frenzy.

"What's wrong?" Madam Puddifoot demanded.

James breathed a sigh of relief. "Coffee. We want coffee." Madam Puddifoot turned on her heel and began cursing him under her breath.

Lily seemed disappointed. "James, don't you want to..."

"Yeah," James said quickly, grabbing her hand. "I do. Just not right clown. Ah! I mean, not right now. I'm a bit parched."

"You drank loads in the Great Hall," Lily reminded him.

"It went straight through me, if you know what I mean," James joked.

Lily laughed a faux laugh and crossed her arms. She looked angry and hurt. James didn't want her to feel like that...but he didn't want to kiss a clown either. Why did she feel so obliged to look like a model...like Emmeline?

Madam Puddifoot returned and James began drinking his coffee. Lily started drinking hers after half of James' own coffee was gone. Lily took one sip and began to lean in. James rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling again.

Just ignore her, he thought. Act like you don't see-

"Ah!" James shouted. "What the bloody hell Lily!"

Four ounces of Madam Puddifoot's smoking coffee was on his lap, searing his zipper. James tried to wipe it off, but it scarred his hands.

"James-I'm so sorry!"

James stood, grabbing a load of napkins. "What are you playing at?" He demanded.

"I just...wanted to make this date special," Lily said. She was crying. Mascara was smeared all over her face.

Those tears. Those beautiful tears. They made him want to hold her, to kiss her. But he couldn't. He'd already been startled. That definitely wasn't a good sign. James mentally cursed himself for what he said next.

"Special?" James groaned. "You call this special?" Half of the couples had began staring at them. James didn't care. Let them see. "Lily, you look like you have on a whole jar of makeup. You look like a bloody clown and that was supposed to make today feel special? Not to mention that you tried to kiss me every two minutes. I could deal with you and your clown face, but no with it kissing me."

"It?" Lily bawled. "It? Now I'm an...it! You jerk!" Lily overturned the table, her half drunken coffee missing James by an inch. He jumped aside nonetheless.

She turned on her heel and rushed out of the shop, fuming. James sighed and slowed his breathing. "Lily wait!" He yelled in vain. She was most likely back at Hogwarts now, how fast she was. Nah, not Hogwarts, but far.

Madam Puddifoot walked up to him. She patted James on the back. "I'm sorry, honey. Drinks on the house?"

"No," James said timidly. "I'll pay. For your table too." James handed her the money and ran out of the shop. As expected, Lily was already gone. James kicked himself for what he said and decided to go back to the dorm. His day was ruined. Lily wasn't one of those girls that he could use, and then get another. Lily was special. Her anger ruined him, no matter how upset he was with her.

James strolled slowly to the common room, his focus only on the ground. When he arrived, he was surprised to see Sirius and Peter, sitting on a couch in front of the fire.

James smiled sadly. "You too, Pads?" he asked. James knew that Peter hadn't had a date today. He must have been ecstatic when Sirius paid him a 'visit'.

Sirius nodded, smiling slightly, without turning around. He stared deep into the embers of the fire. Peter sat beside him, constantly checking Sirius' eyes to see exactly what he was looking at. Just by the grimace on Sirius' face, James could tell that he had noticed and was annoyed. "Hey, Wormtail," James said. "Rita's in her dorm. She uh-wants to see you."

"Really?" Wormtail grinned and ran out of the common room. "Gullible bastard," James murmured, chuckling.

"Prongs, don't you think he'll notice when Rita's not in the Ravenclaw common room?" Sirius asked.

"No," James winked. "That's why I said the dorm. Everyone knows that guys can't visit girls dorms. Especially guys from other houses. And he can't call her, because Muggle objects don't work here. He doesn't even have her number. And besides, you know Rita thinks he's creepy. The perfect plan."

Sirius grinned and looked at James. "So...when're you gonna tell me?" he said in a mock-girl voice.

"What, Padfoot?" James laughed.

"Why you're back so early," Sirius said, grazing James' shoulder with his own. "What happened with Lily? How'd you screw it up this time?"

James sighed. Sirius was his best friend. He could tell him anything, right? Better to find out now before some really serious secrets came along.

"Well," James started, "first of all, she came with all this makeup on. She looked like a complete clown, Pads." Sirius laughed so hard, he had to clutch onto his side to stop from falling.

James rolled his eyes and said, "So, tell me the story of you and Emmeline."

"She's a whore, what else?" Sirius groaned. "Tell me more about this encounter with the Lily monster!"

James grinned. He figured he could tell Sirius more. They were best friends."She kept trying to kiss me. And I called her an it. She was hideous though, what do you expect?"

Sirius cackled loudly and James laughed. The boys heard a door creak open, but paid it no attention. Big mistake.

James mostly ignored it because he thought it was a dormitory door closing. Sirius-well, evidently he didn't care what the sound was.

"You called her it prongs?" Sirius remarked. "Seven years and you finally find out that your girlfriend is a monster."

James stuck out his tongue. "Girlfriend? Try Ringling Brother." James said. Both boys had to hold onto each other to keep from collapsing.

"Prongs, you, you-."

"Ah!" James recoiled. He had felt a hand slap his face. He pushed Sirius.

"What's the big idea, mate?" Sirius demanded, suddenly...okay, Serious.

"You bloody slapped me! And it hurt!" James said, feeling his face.

Sirius gulped. "That wasn't me," he whispered. He pointed behind James. "I think it was Lily."

James spun around, his hand still clutching his cheek, only to see a retreating back heading to the girls' dormitories. From the beads on her back, James could tell it was her. "Lily!" he yelled hastily. Another door shut. "Damn it!" James cursed, throwing himself back onto the sofa.

"It's okay, Prongs," Sirius said. "You wouldn't want your children to be circus freaks anyway."


	2. Obsessed

_A week later_

* * *

><p>Obsessed. That's exactly how James felt. He was obsessed with love. With apologies. With...Lily.<p>

He'd attempted to apologize to her countless times in the past week, but she always either refused his apology or ignored him altogether. James wouldn't let that happen again. Not now.

Lily was currently sitting on a chair in the back of the Gryffindor common room, reading a novel. James could tell she was still thinking of him as she turned the pages of her book. It was hard for her to hide her pain behind those emerald green eyes-from him, at least. This, James was certain of.

She was so calm, so peaceful, however, that James almost didn't want to interrupt her. Her beautiful image intrigued him. Her eyes sparkled in the artificial moonlight coming from a nearby window. Her dark red hair was flowing down to her back, her cream colored skin creating a dried candy cane illusion. Lily's face was pure, natural. She wasn't wearing anything that conflicted with her natural state. This was the Lily he wanted, he needed. She was perfect. She should be his.

James stealthily crept down the stairs, making sure not to make a sound. Lily shouldn't be startled. Just the thought made James feel like even more of a stalker. He was practically creeping up on her. Ah, he thought, well at least I'm not going to stare at her in her sleep or anything.

James had actually done that once-well sort of. He'd stood in the shadows only two days earlier, watching her mellowed breathing as she slept on the couch in the Heads' room. Of course, James' intense stare woke Lily up, most likely causing her to think that he was obsessed, too. He wasn't the most successful stalker ever, but he'd done pretty good. Twenty minutes in wasn't too bad.

When he reached the bottom of the staircase, James tried to act normal. Normal people were usually the ones unnoticed. People who stuck outside the box and were out of the in crowd were normally pursued and noticed-that's why they were actors and singers and such. The 'unique' ones at Hogwarts were the Marauders, which made normality hard for James. He couldn't take a step without wanting to throw a dungbomb and get detention with McGonagall. He found detention exciting-definitely not normal, even in the wizarding world.

Lost in his panicked thoughts, James hadn't noticed Lily take a quick glimpse at him. At the sight of her turning around to face him again, James bowed his head and leaned over the sofa in front of him. He pretended to read the newspaper that some careless owner had left lying around. But of course, his disguise didn't fool Lily.

"James?" She whispered.

James looked up from the magazine in defeat. "Lily! Didn't see you there," he said gleefully, attempting to play it off.

Lily rolled her eyes and James' faux grin faltered. He gulped and stared at her, his thin lips forming a grimace.

James ran a hand through his dark hair, sighing. "How've you been?" he asked casually.

"Just great...for a clown," Lily replied softly, turning a page in her book.

"You know I didn't mean it like that, Lils. I was just..." He trailed off. She wasn't paying him any attention. "What're you reading?" he tried after a few moments.

Lily glanced at him questioningly and then went back to her novel. Silence. And then-

"The Catcher in the Rye," Lily said simply. She went back to ignoring him.

"What's it about?" James inquired.

"A guy. He's an insecure jerk. And he's a complete arsehole. At least that's what I'm getting from this," Lily added. "I've banned any romantic feeling I have toward men. This guy, Holden, I'd probably like him-very much. But if I tried to look presentable for him, he'd call me a Ringling Brother." Lily tilted her head a little, most likely making sure that James wasn't even visible in the corner of her eye.

James sighed and sat on the edge of the chair that was across from her. He gazed at his palms. "I'm sorry, Lils-." he started.

Lily tossed her book at him, causing him to move his head to the side. "What the-?"

"James!" Lily growled. "How could you? I love you, James. I've gained that love over the past three years or so. But what you're doing is not helping our predicament! Why James? Why'd you humiliate me? I was vulnerable with you, James. I've never felt that way about someone before! You're not making love a very good first time for me!"

James suddenly became engrossed in his shoes. "Lily, I'm sorry-."

Lily punched his hand. "Say it one more bloody time and I swear to Merlin I'll kill you!"

James gazed into her furious eyes. Lily was in a rage. He grasped her hand and kissed it lightly. "Gracias, perhaps?" He grinned.

Lily smiled sadly. "That means 'Thank you' James." She sighed. "You're always so cute when you beg."

James was about to protest about the 'begging' part when Lily sat in his chair. She kissed him on the cheek.

He calmed down a bit as her touch sent a tingle down his spine. So this had been what he'd been missing for the past seven years. Love. He felt it through her lips, her smile. She loved him and that was all he needed.

"So this means we're back on?" James asked hopefully.

Lily shook her head and grabbed his arm. "I'm not sure yet, James. I'll have to think it over." James cursed quietly and Lily giggled. He was about to head back up to the dorm when Lily quickly squeezed his hand. "But remember, I still love you," she said seriously. "I always will."

James grinned. "And I you." James raced back to the dorm, a new air engulfing him. It was love. He'd wait for her for however long was needed. He'd managed seven years, so a few weeks or so wouldn't be anything...

He was halfway up the staircase when Lily yelled, "Potter! No more staring at me while I'm sleeping, you creep! Got it?"

James snorted and shouted over the banister, "You wish. Every time I do something like that, I wind up in your dreams, where I should be, Evans!"

Lily smiled. "Ain't that the truth," she whispered to herself. 


	3. Best

**So, I'd like to clear something up about James. He isn't a jerk, but I always imagined him to be as immature in seventh year as he'd been in the previous years. I believe he hid it for Lily, and Lily alone. In the first chapter, he thought he was alone with Sirius, so he behaved like his true self. Sure, he matured. But in my story, he doesn't mature until…now!**

"James, stop spraying that stupid Muggle cologne," Remus shouted. Sirius and Peter nearly killed themselves laughing.

The four Marauders were in the seventh year boys' dorm, and James was getting ready for his _'meeting'_ with Lily. She'd only referred to it as a meeting so that he wouldn't believe it to be a date. But the thing was, James didn't 'believe' it to be a date; he _knew_it was. And if he planned on getting Lily back by the end of the night, he needed to smell good to gain a few points with her.

Before James had come in, shouting and screaming with joy, Remus had been trying to get some rest. The full moon was the next night, and he'd been feeling rather weary. James' joyful commentary and bright face didn't really help him out much.

"Aw, ickle Moony's trying to sleep," Sirius mocked. "He wouldn't be planning on any midnight outings tomorrow, would he?" Peter cracked a faux grin at Sirius' poor joke.

Remus groaned and lay down, turning his back to his friends. "Not that you know of," Remus muttered dreamily. Judging from the perpetual lessening of tension from Moony's back, James could tell that he would be asleep soon.

"Leave Moony alone," James scolded quietly, fixing his tie. The checkered orange and black fabric went perfectly with his black shirt and dark pants. Not to mention the fact that the tie attracted attention to James' ears, in which a single diamond earring was placed in each. (They were male earrings, of course.) Needless to say, James looked gorgeous. His tousled hair only added to the hotness factor.

"Fine, Mum," Sirius joked. He yawned and sprawled out on his four-poster. "I think it's about time for me to follow in Moony's footsteps." _Yes._

"Perfect," James said, running a hand through his dark hair. "It's about time for me to follow in Lily's footsteps now." Giving Sirius one last grin, James hustled out into the Common Room. On his way out, Peter gave him a thumbs up, Moony snored rather hopefully, and Sirius shouted, "Give darling Lily a snog for me!" _You wish._

James closed the door and looked around for a moment. When he finally remembered his way, he began walking to the Heads' room, thinking all the while.

First, he thought briefly of the talk he'd had with Lily earlier. She had said a whole bunch of stuff about how special the date was and exedra, exedra, and then she'd hinted at the fact that she would arrive early to fix up the room for their date. Which, in Lily terms, meant she had been in the Heads' room for presumably two hours. James didn't understand how she did it, staying in one place for all that time, especially during the most boring hours of the day. Eight and ten! Who the bloody hell stayed in once place from eight to ten? There was nothing special about them...eight, nine, ten. But if Lily decided to schedule all of her dates between those times, then James was happy to oblige.

He thought about the progress he'd made with Lily throughout the years. There was the first four years, in which they had both despised each other. And then there was the fifth year, when they were finally mature enough to not try and kill each other every time they saw one another. Then there was sixth year, the year in which Lily and James had shared most classes together and learned to get along, for they were paired together an awful lot. And finally, there was this year. Seventh year. The final year. The year in which Lily had admitted her love for James and agreed to go on a date with him. And just like that-after waiting for six years to be with her, when only in about two and a half of those years had he truly loved her-James had went and screwed it up. And all it had taken were a few measly, meaningless words. But he planned on fixing that tonight.

James could find about a thousand ways to persuade Lily to take him back, but those didn't matter. He wasn't going to try and persuade her. He loved her too much for that. James was going to tell Lily the truth about how he felt. He couldn't stand having to live life without her. Perhaps if he could just apologize, he'd be okay if she let him down.

James turned a corner and walked into a dead end. He rubbed his head, grinning. The Heads' room. He hesitated for a moment. What exactly would this date with Lily be like?

Would she talk the whole time and make James sit through it, only to be let down? Would she make him grovel? And, of course, would she wear that hideous makeup?

Putting away all his doubts, James knocked on the wall two times and whispered, "I love you." The password had been changed just for tonight, with the help of Dumbledore. James laughed to himself, thinking of how confused Dumbledore had been when Lily had came to him with the request.

_"Professor Dumbledore, can I change the password for the Heads' room tonight?"_

_"Why of course, Lily. To what shall we change it?_

_"I love you."_

James wondered just how surprised he would be if Dumbledore had showed up before him. But, of course, Lily had said that only a true love could make the entrance to the Heads' room appear. He was sure that if Dumbledore had visited, it would have only been out of lust-but even that thought made James want to gag.

He stepped into the room and was momentarily confused when Lily hugged him tightly. That was until remembrance of their talk dawned upon him.

"You do love me," Lily whispered into his chest.

"Yes," James said coolly. He attempted to wrap his arms around Lily, but she had already unhooked herself from him. He only stopped when he realized that the air was thinner than his date-and Lily laughed at him. Needless to say, James Potter caressing thin air as if it were his date was _not_ a pretty sight.

He ruffled his hair, attempting to play it off. But he just couldn't when he saw Lilt turn and walk to the newly refurbished couch. She was drop dead gorgeous, to say the least. Her hair was long, her eyes were bright, her face was clear. She was wearing a tight red dress that stopped midway through her body, making James weak at the knees. Not to mention the small hoop earrings. She meant to have him back tonight. Either that or she was teasing him-and it was working. He disguised his unintentional groan with a lengthy sigh. Lily looked back at him, bemused. Or was that a smile playing at her lips? Did she _know _what she was doing to him? It was cruel, but he decided he deserved it.

Lily sat and patted the spot next to her. "Sitting down, James?" She asked, smirking. The use of his first name. Things were going good.

James wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "Y-yeah," he said, sitting next to her and looking around. Lily stayed silent for a few moments, so James knew she wanted him to strike up the conversation. It was only fair.

"I-like what you did to the place," he said courteously. Lily had done a great job. The couch was now plush and red, just like her dress. The walls had been stripped of their Quidditch posters and scratches and dents. All that had been replaced by the color red, too. The small desk in the corner, the notebook on top of that, the bathroom door: all red. James understood what it meant. It meant that Lily was dominant tonight, that she was the Queen of his world. It meant that he was expected to shut up and listen to her tonight. He couldn't protest much to that. James hadn't much to say anyways.

"Thank you," Lily sighed, looking around, admiring her work. "It took two hours." _I knew it. _"I did it all for you, you know."

James nodded. "Thank you. I don't deserve it-I don't deserve you."

"I know," Lily said coolly. She hadn't blushed or anything. She was really the one wearing the pants tonight. And James was too keen to wear her knickers. He smiled ruefully at the thought. Lily would kill him if she could hear his thoughts. But now, all she would hear was his groveling, if that much.

When Lily realized James wasn't going to respond, she continued. She seemed okay, if not pleased, with his decision. "We both know why we're here James. I don't want to beat around the bush _again_." She touched his cheek. James gazed down. _Look up. Look up_. He forced his eyes to her face again. Stupid hormones.

Lily crossed her legs. _Kill me now._ "And I want you to know something, James. I know you're sorry, so don't go repeating it, okay? I just wanted to tell you how I felt after you said what you did. And I've had my share of arguments, so naturally, it's your turn."

_Wasn't expecting that. _James cleared his throat uneasily. "Well, I didn't mean-."

"James," Lily scolded. "No apologies."

He nodded. "Well, I-I mean-it's just…Lily, listen," James said finally. "I love you and that's all that matters. I was angry that day. I had been looking forward to seeing you and only you. Not some model from a magazine. I hate those. They aren't real. But you are. Lily, I love you, and I can't love someone fake."

Lily looked hurt. "What?"

James took her hand and sighed. "Not like that," he corrected. "You aren't fake Lily." His left hand found her cheek. He rubbed his knuckles against it gently. "And that's why it was so weird to see you with all that stuff on your face. It was almost like I was…cheating on you. And I know that makes no sense, but it did. I felt horrible after though. And what I said to Sirius-I was blowing off steam. Sirius needed a good laugh. He'd been dumped too. It was a comfort measure and I was wrong. Lily, I don't want some supermodel. I want you."

Lily was shocked. James could tell that she hadn't expected him to be so honest and open, so sincere. But he'd changed-admittedly two seconds ago-but he'd changed nonetheless. "What do you mean?" Lily asked breathlessly.

"I mean I love you." He said, inching toward her. "And I am just so, so happy that I get to see you at your best." Lily smiled and James, needing no more reason, placed his lips upon hers. Surprisingly, Lily didn't pull back. She only grinned and moved closer to him, her hands in his hair. James had expected her to push him away, to want more. But through her kiss, he knew she understood. She only wanted him, and she hadn't wanted to dress up as a supermodel. She'd only wanted to be worthy of him-and she was. James had almost closed the gap between them completely when the sound of an opening door interrupted their moment.

James turned and grinned. Standing at the door, clearing his throat was a sallow-faced Albus Dumbledore. James stole a glance at Lily and saw the confusion in her face.

"Dumbledore?" she asked hesitantly.

James bit his lip and closed his eyes.

"Lily," Dumbledore said in a haughty voice. "I'd like to talk to you about your…feelings toward me."

**The End!**

A/N

**Don't we all love a creepy, lusty, gullible Albus Dumbledore? I know I do! I had a great time writing this, and I hope I win the apology challenge!**

**Sincerely,**

**Cabin**


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